PSSA

Aguero prepared to leave Atletico

Chelsea will be encouraged that transfer target Sergio Aguero has now publicly stated he is prepared to leave Atletico Madrid, although he admitted it is more likely to be in the summer than the January transfer window.

That gives Chelsea the option of completing a deal in January and then loaning the young striker back to Atletico until the end of the season.

That is the safer option for the Blues, as they do not know if the appeal against their FIFA-imposed transfer ban will be successful, meaning they could still face a freeze on signing players in the summer.

January would be the ideal time to swoop, with Chelsea hopeful of persuading Atletico to let their prized asset move to the Bridge to step in for the African Nations Cup-bound Didier Drogba and Salomon Kalou. But Aguero is cup-tied for the Champions League - making a loan move straight back to the Vicente Calderón a more likely solution.

As ESPN Soccernet reported last week, intermediaries are busy working on a £100m package which includes a long term contract for the Argentinean striker and a transfer fee thought to be close to £50 million. Read More.

After three years in Seattle, Sebastien Le Toux went to the Philadelphia Union in the expansion draft. Owner/GM Adrian Hanauer reflects on losing the Sounders FC's first player.

On Wednesday, the inaugural edition of the Sounders FC lost their first player when the Philadelphia Union selected Sebastien Le Toux in the expansion draft.

What they lose is a player who made a great impact on Seattle’s soccer community in his three years in the Pacific Northwest and, further, a member of the Sounders family.

“It’s disappointing,” said Sounders FC owner/general manager Adrian Hanauer. “Everyone on this team has gone through a lot together in the last year, not to mention the last several years for so many of those players. You never know where things will lead him over time, but Sebastien will always be a Sounder.”

Le Toux came to Seattle in 2007 as a member of the USL Sounders and made a quick impact, particularly in the Lamar Hunt US Open Cup, where he would score 13 goals over 16 games in three years, helping the Sounders to two semifinals in the USL and a championship victory this year. Read More.

Aguero prepared to leave Atletico

Always a Sounder

After three years in Seattle, Sebastien Le Toux went to the Philadelphia Union in the expansion draft. Owner/GM Adrian Hanauer reflects on losing the Sounders FC's first player.